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New Cockermouth arcade is set for approval

Plans to turn Cockermouth’s former JobCentre into a shopping arcade look set to be approved by Allerdale council planners on Tuesday, despite some town opposition.

Mitchells Auction Company Ltd wants to turn Tithe House in Station Road into a mix of shops, offices and cafes, creating 20 full-time and 10 part-time jobs.

Town councillors, Cockermouth Civic Trust and some town traders fear the development could jeopardise the viability of existing shops.

The building was turned into the temporary Main Street at Mitchells shopping arcade after the 2009 floods. It gave businesses somewhere to trade while their premises were repaired and it closed down once they were able to return.

Five letters of objection to the new plans were sent to Allerdale council by traders. They said there were 17 empty or closing shops in the town centre and the development would affect businesses already struggling with the recession.

The civic trust said there were empty units in Main Street, including the Globe Hotel and The Printing House, which could both be split into smaller units if needed.

But Allerdale council planning officers said there had not been a significant change in the number of empty units since the floods. Councillors are being recommended to approve the scheme.

A report to be considered by the council’s development panel says that, while the site is outside the formal town centre boundary, there are shops opposite and it is easily accessible by people shopping in town.

Christ Church councillor Sam Standage said: “This needs to be debated in the open forum of the development panel process.